denoting, relating to, or belonging to a supposed racial group that includes the native Australians and certain other peoples of southern Asia and the Pacific islands.
noun
2.
any member of this racial group
▶ USAGE The word Australoid and other words ending in -oid and relating to racial groups, such as Mongoloid, are controversial scientifically and best avoided. If you need to mention the ethnicityof indigenous peoples from this region it is preferable to use a specific name, ora widely accepted term such as indigenous Australians or Aboriginal peoples
Australoid in American English
(ˈɔstrəˌlɔid)
noun
1. Anthropology
a descriptive category of human being including principally the Australian Aborigines and sometimes including Papuans, Melanesians, various small-statured peoples of the Philippines, Malay Peninsula, and Andaman Islands, and some of the tribes of central and southern India
adjective
2.
pertaining to or having the characteristics of the Australoids
Also: Australioid
Word origin
[1860–65; var. of australioid. See Australia, -oid]